Boycotting Black Friday on Thanksgiving

LANSING (WILX)--A local man has a plan to keep Black Friday shopping on Friday.

Shawn Grady of Lansing started a Facebook group Monday. The group has people asking if retailers have gone too far. Many customers are not happy retailers have expanded the biggest shopping day of the year to Thanksgiving.

"Thanksgiving is a holiday where we're supposed to give thanks for what we have; not be an attempt to have us go buy more," said Grady.

The group is called P.A.S.O.O.T. (People Against Stores Opening On Thanksgiving). Grady is urging people who join to boycott the early bargains.

"All it is to make a statement. My only regret is I wish I would have started the group sooner."

Grady says anyone's welcome to join and share opinions on the group page.

But as long as people are lining up and excited for the early sales, retailers are not going to stop.

"Every year we open earlier and we get people out here. We'll open earlier as long as the customer wants us to," said Best Buy Sales Manager, Kasey Palmer.

Retailers have expanded into Thanksgiving because it's late this year. Customers have six less days to get their gifts.

By opening eight hours or more earlier, retailers believe they'll be able to draw out more people than ever before.

"It's definitely driven by everybody wanting to get the best deal," said Palmer. More than ten thousand people are expected to shop at the Lansing Mall Best Buy this Black Friday.

But customers like Grady wish retailers could find another way.

"Retailers should take another look and get creative without creeping into America's national holiday," said Grady.

Walmart, Target, J-C Penney, Best Buy and Macy's will be open on Thanksgiving Day.

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